What a joy it was to welcome two young people from the Pearl of Africa Choir into home yesterday evening as they spend nine nights with us. Whilst many of the young people have their own families in Uganda, they are also adopted into the choir. As we welcomed them and shared food there was a sense of adopting them into our family for a short time. Incidentally the choir will be performing at our Ministry Centre this evening at 7pm. Make sure you don’t miss out on their amazing singing and dancing.
This week is ‘National Adoption week’. The focus for this year being on the ‘priority’ children who wait the longest for a loving home, those in a sibling group, children from Black and Minority Ethnic backgrounds, older children and those with complex health needs or those that are disabled.
Over the years I have had the privilege of getting to know several families who have adopted children. Whilst their personal stories and circumstances are all different the one common thread, which they all seemed to share, was the blessing that adoption can be to parents as well as children. As I have spent time with these families it has always struck me that the glue that has kept them together has not been birth or blood, but a unique bond of love and the commitment that no matter what they would figure it out together.
As an only child the words of a Sunday school song “ Father God” has always given me great comfort in knowing that no matter what happened to my earthly parents I was already adopted into God’s family and that he would never leave me as an orphan.
If you look closely at the Bible you will see that adoption is at the heart of the story line. God’s heart for orphans and adoption is clearly displayed throughout the Old and New Testaments.
In 1 John 3:1-2 we read “Consider the kind of extravagant love the Father has lavished on us – He calls us children of God! It’s true; we are His beloved children. …. My loved ones, we have been adopted into God’s family; and we are officially His children now.”
The Pearl of Africa sings a song about Jesus’ wonderful love for each of us. There is a powerful message behind this song one that reminds us that we are God’s favourite! That we shouldn’t accept to live as orphans but as adopted children of God. Or put another way by the 1970’s soul group “The real thing”, “You to me are everything”. You see when you are adopted into God’s family these words take on a whole new meaning. I wonder what we will choose today? Are we happy living our lives as orphans or will we take the next step and explore what it means to be adopted into God’s family.